


Stag in the Woods

by GreenJewel



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Battle of Five Armies, Battle of Five Armies Fix-It, Jealous Thorin, M/M, White Stag, thorin with dragon sickness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2015-02-27
Packaged: 2018-02-08 10:18:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1937118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenJewel/pseuds/GreenJewel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On his quest to reclaim Erebor, there were not just Thorin and the Company. Something or someone is watching as well (:</p><p>Inspired by this </p><p>http://thorinduil.tumblr.com/post/82610745409/withfullheart-inspired-by-this-post-x</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [树深时见鹿[Translation of Stag in the woods]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6702358) by [Spatsommer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spatsommer/pseuds/Spatsommer)



> Thanks God it's summer so I had time to put this idea into words since I first saw the gifs, which are totally sweet and beautiful and I just love it so much.
> 
> My friend usually complained I read a lot Thorinduil but write only about Richlee...So well here is my first effort :3 ( I really don't know...)

It was in the middle of the night when Thorin suddenly wakes up enjoying the cool night winds blowing gently around him. He and the dwarves have been doing well since they escaped the orcs at the mountain peak days ago. They kept going, then resting on the road and kept on going with a firm will set on taking Erebor, his home again.

They are getting closer to their land, he can feel it, The paths have never been so familiar but it is still a long way to go. The closer he gets to Erebor, the heavier the weight in his heart becomes. At first he thought it was too great his homesick that he could not keep his feelings in check. But then as he spent time thinking about the lands they are going to pass, the distance left, it appears more clearly to him the source for his unsettling thoughts. Surely they have to go through Mirkwood to reach Erebor. The dwarf prince was troubled because he couldn’t tell whether he wanted it or not.

Thorin stares absentmindedly at the dark sky sparkling with stars above. His mind drifts back to the time, some time very long ago when he first learnt about stars and their names in Elvish. The one who lied so comfortably in his arms that night pointing his slender fingers up at the sky and patiently distinguishing for him between the Soronume “Eagle of the West”, Remmirath “The Netted Stars” and Wilwarin “Butterfly” was no one other than the Elven King himself. 

It was a time when Erebor and Mirkwood still had good alliances and the Elven King’s trips to the dwarf’s land were frequent, friendly and comfortable. Thorin’s brows draw together as he tries to interpret the shape of the stars above. In his head, he can hear Thranduil’s soft voice whispering their names to him. Little does Thorin remembers now because all he did at that time was looking up mesmerizingly at the Elven King and watching his eyes sparkling under the starlight when he talks about the things he love. 

A long sigh escaped Thorin’s lips as he realized how much he miss Thranduil. Certainly it is where all his troubling thoughts of this trip come from. They will have to go into the Elven King’s realm. There is no other way. And Thorin does not know if he wants to see Thranduil again or not. He does not know what is left between them anyway. He is pretty sure their bonds or whatever they had between them before were ruined just like the City of Dale on the day that Smaug came. 

Thorin has been lying awake for how long he has no idea. But his mind kept replaying the good time he had with Thranduil, how the other may randomly tease about their height difference but paid it no mind when they are sharing the bed together. When his mind comes back to reality, morning nearly comes and the stars start disappearing from the sky as if they are playing hide and seek waiting for him to name them again when the night comes. 

Thorin sits up and quietly walks away from their camping place. He needs to clear his mind, delete his thoughts about his old lover and keep his focus on one place only: his home. Sadly the closer they get to Erebor (and Mirkwood), the more difficult it is for him. 

He reaches a clear vast of forest not very far from their camping place. The early morning air is so enjoyable to the Durin’s prince that as he inhales a deep breath, it wakes every senses of him up and he seems better and more relaxed already. But then he jerks his head to the left where he heard steps of an animal approaching. Thorin pulls out his swords and he hides behind a tree and gets ready to prepare a fancy breakfast for his company.

The sound is clearer, nearer and Thorin can tell it might be a deer. “Fancy breakfast, indeed”, he thinks to himself. As Thorin jumps from behind the tree with a sword in his hands, he stared at the animal in disbelief. It is a white deer but much bigger. And its antler was more beautiful than any deer he has seen before. 

The white stag looks at Thorin and steps back immediately as it recognizes the sword. “Wait”, Thorin calls out anxiously. He throws his sword away because for some reason he isn’t interested in any fancy breakfast now. And the stag stops to look at him again. Thorin feels like his breath were caught in his throat upon the animal’s rare beauty as he observes it admiringly and carefully, a beautiful stag with its soft white fur that Thorin aches to touch and to feel. 

Thorin carefully makes small steps forward closing the distance between him and the stag. It didn’t move away. Instead, it just stands there; its eyes fix on Thorin as if it’s waiting for him. Thorin knows animals cannot speak nor feel as the way human does but he can tell the stag wants him to get closer just by its look. 

Now Thorin stands next to the animal which turns out to be quite big that it nearly tower over him. As he looks up from such a close distance, the stag’s white fur appears to be even more beautiful and smooth as the first ray of sunlight starts catching up on its fur. Taking a deep breath, Thorin reaches out to touch the stag’s nose and the surrounding area. Surprisingly the stag lets him and its skin is so comfortable under Thorin’s rough palm. 

Thorin smiles happily as he sees the stag is leaning into his touch. Soon he rests his other hand at its neck and caressing the beautiful soft white fur over and over again. He closes his eyes and rests his head on the stag’s neck. This is the first time he sees this stag but he strangely feel so familiar to it: the way it accepts his touch, the way he rests comfortably against it. 

Then as his eyes were close resting and his hands were caressing the stag, the image of Thranduil flashed in Thorin’s mind again. His eyes jerked open. His hands drop as he recognizes the familiar feeling. Thranduil has a white stag too. But Thorin saw it once only when Thranduil rode it to the border on the day Smaug attacked. But it was a huge elk, too big for Thranduil and certainly extremely huge to Thorin. So it could not be this one. 

Still the similarity stirs the discomfort that his troubling thoughts have been doing to him lately. The pain in his heart on the day he realized Thranduil abandoning him to death starts coming back when he sees this stag. But then as Thorin catches its eyes again, he was melted because the animal is looking at him accusingly. The soft innocent eyes of the animal are like questioning him about the lack of comfortable touch that he offers minutes ago.

So Thorin caresses it again with his eyes closed and head resting on the animal’s chest. The image of the Elvenking crosses his mind again, unchanged and so beautiful that it hurts Thorin so much. Certainly despite how many times he told the others he hate elves to the bones; deep inside, he knows his heart already belonged to the one specific elf since the first time the Elven King visits Erebor. 

“I miss you, Thranduil”, he whispers absent-mindedly to the stag. His fingers grabbed a handful of fur and curls into a fist as the painful memories hit him again. “But you choose to abandon me”, he speaks again with bitterness more to himself trying to control his sobbing. 

For quite some time Thorin try to compose himself and get over the memories he had with Thranduil. Then he steps away from the stag and pets it again. “Go now before someone can turn you into their breakfast”, he says to the stag with a bright smile. The stag leans into his touch once again nodding before it turns and runs into the dense forest. Thorin sighs watching it leave. He missed it already. But he knows he cannot take it along with him anyway. So he turns and walks back to his camping site.

The dwarf prince couldn’t see when the stag abruptly stop after running far away from him. Nor did he notice how it carefully hides behind the tree and only poke its head out enough to observe him from behind. For no matter how much the prince is troubled by the scenarios of seeing his old lover again, he didn’t know that his lover has kept his eyes on him the entire time on his trip under the projection of a stag.

Same as Thorin, Thranduil does not know what it’ll be like when they meet again after such a long time of separating and especially under such a painful and hated depart. But the Elven King who is known for his cold heart and stubborn mind was melted and convinced today after centuries when he heard the dwarf whisper “I miss you”. And the other sentence that follows breaks his heart again just as the day when he has to make a decision of putting the lives of his people over the fate of his relationship. 

And now when the Elven King had some information of what trouble the dwarf prince about his journey, he is determined to set things right between them when Thorin sets foot into Mirkwood.


	2. I see you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Thorin to find out the truth. It's time for them to clear past things with each other and follow what their hearts both guide them to...
> 
> ...or may be not...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologized for the delay. I'm so terribly sorry. I was so busy adjusting to new life routines. I didn't have much time to write as before so little by little, day by day and the final work was a littleeee bit different from what I planed, and much longer. Well, you'll find out soon.
> 
> Thank you very much to all the comments and kudos from everyone :3 :3 I really didn't expect a sequel you guys are such a strong motivation for me. You made me so so happy with this work.
> 
> I'm sorry I haven't had enough time to proof-read this chapter but it's been waiting for too long like seriously.

The speed running the dwarves had to escape from the orc’s chase since they left Beorn’s house had one advantage: clearing Thorin’s mind of the journey ahead. The Durin prince cannot daydream all the time about his past, which he had secretly been doing ever since they left the Blue Moutains. He doesn’t know how can one let go of such beautiful memory. But since it was too good and perfect, the certainty that he may never have them again or feel Thranduil’s hair in his hands one more time hurts him deeply. So it is better if Thorin keeps looking behind and worries about the orc’s attack instead of looking ahead of where their journey leads to. But now standing at the border of Mirkwood facing the broken elvish gate, everything comes back to him at once. 

“Come on, let’s go. You’ve heard what Gandalf said. And the Durin’s day is near”, the leader raises his voice and pushes everyone to form into a line entering Mirkwood. It was dangerous as Gandalf had warned but they do not have much time to waste. And now when he was here after all, Thorin is determined to be a real leader with a lot of motivation and stronger focus more than ever. “No more distraction”, he reminds sternly to himself as he pats the others’ back encouragingly. Then he nods the final goodbye to the wizard and follows his company.

The air in the forest was thick and sick just as Bilbo described. The discomfort around forces him to focus better and keep his guards up. He felt uneasy in this forest as if attacks from anything can come in their way anytime and from any directions. But he tries to keep everyone in line and stick to the path as the advice. 

But the company turns stoned when their path was cut and nowhere to be found again. Everyone hurriedly spread around to look for it. Thorin’s head is getting dizzy because of the dense atmosphere and the lack of sunlight. It should be mid-noon now but there is no strays of the sun shining through this forest at all. He instructs the poor Nori to one side even though he could feel the other is panicking, while he follows the opposite direction.

Thorin keeps his eyes on the ground searching for the stone path they followed earlier. The light doesn’t help much either. Everything seems dark and he can see only like 2 or 3 steps ahead. He can feel the others moving around, keep searching and shouting to each other but there was no hope. Tired and exhausted, Thorin rests his back on a tree; his hands rest on his thighs as the dwarf prince breaths heavily. His Orcist is laid uncared on the ground. 

And then Thorin notices a strange source of white light appearing out of no where in the forest. At first he thought it was a hallucination caused by his exhaustion; but then after blinking many times, Thorin can still see the light approaching him closer. Then the stag appears, the white stag that looks so familiar as Thorin recalls it must be the one he met in the woods a long time ago. 

He was happy to recognize the stag again. Some fate has brought this animal to him again after a long time or it has followed him all the way. The stag emits a strange bright light but Thorin dismissed the thought thinking that it was only because the forest is so dark. He wanted to greet the stag as an old friend but before he can make any move closer, an arrow ripped through the quiet thick air and landed on the tree next to where the stag was standing. 

“Kili!”, Thorin scolds angrily looking back at his dark hair nephew who looks at him with confusion as well. He wanted to explain more to Kili but the stag had run away and without thinking properly, Thorin runs right after it leaving the company clueless of the situation. 

He lost the sight of the animal shortly. What was he thinking, Thorin scolds himself angrily. They were trying to find a path so they will not get lost. And Thorin for some reason decided to run away from his company to follow a stag which he met just once. And his two legs cannot keep up with the four-legged animal so now he is here walking around with no clear direction at all. “Too much for the no-distraction”, Thorin sighs. He tried to reform the path he ran off hopefully to find his company again, but his dizziness is getting stronger and the short breaks he took didn’t help much. Before Thorin notices, he falls right into the pond from out of nowhere and the dwarf feels like his conscious finally left him behind. The last thing entered his eyes before darkness overtook him was the white stag digging his head in the water surface reaching for him.

o0o

The first thing Thorin did when he woke up suddenly was reaching to his side for Orcist. But it wasn’t there. And Thorin soon noticed he wasn’t lying on some dirty ground full of leaves and rocks like what he had get used to for months. The softness and herbal smell of the silk sheets turned out to be so unfamiliar and uncomfortable. He blinks again trying to remember what happened and he did: the dark forest, the lost path, the stag, the lost dwarf who stumbled into a pond and the white stag saving him. 

“Send words to the King that he’s awake”, Thorin recognizes the elf tone immediately. “The King?”, he tries not to let out a disgusting snicker. Isn’t this how he imagined? That finally he can meet the King again and settle down whatever left there is between them? Then why is there a sudden anger burning inside him making him want to make Thranduil pay for his alliance betrayal? And another type of flame which urges him to just grab the elven king, to feel his slender body pressing against his and to put every fantasy he’s had since he left Erebor become reality again? 

Thorin is a mess of confusion torn between two opposite desires deep inside and which ever he lose control of, it can burn him and his plan completely. “Focus”, he reminds himself and opens his eyes again to look around. Thorin knew he was in Thranduil’s palace. But he remembered the stag saving him, how he ended here with the elves, he had no idea. He peers around recognizing the hundreds of small bottles on the shelf on the right, plenty of jars on the table beside. It seems like he’s being healed, from what he didn’t know. But may be something to cool down the flames inside him would be nice. “Or poisoned”, a part of Thorin’s mind reminds him. He is in the elf realm and they are no good. Bitterly Thorin turns and hides his face into the soft pillow groaning because the elf smell is everywhere around him. 

Feeling some elf approaching him, Thorin sits up to see the elf maiden puts a silver cup on the table next to him. She eyes him suspiciously but says nothing. “Why am I here?”, he asks but the hatred is obvious in his voice and he doesn’t really feel sorry about it. “If you’re not here, you’d probably be dead”, she replies briefly. The elf isn’t in the mood for conversations either. 

“Drink that”, she points to the silver cup and Thorin glares at it with disgust and suspicion. “I will not receive anything from your people, coward traitors”, he spits angrily and the elf shots him a deadly look. “Too late because you owned our King your life already. If he hadn’t found you in time, you could have drown to death in the dark water”, she smirks and her tone was soft and sweet as if she knew the effect it had on Thorin can be much worse than angry comebacks. 

She left without a single look back at the confused Thorin trying to recall what he missed. Thranduil didn’t find him. The white stag did. Before losing conscious completely, he could feel his body being dragged out of the water by the stag. Thranduil just conveniently sends his guard to come across Thorin and now claim that he saved Thorin’s life? The dwarf prince can’t help another disdainful hiss at the thought of the elven king. 

There are more elven guards entering the room. Thorin shrugs them off when one of them try to grab his shoulder. They say nothing but lead the way out of the room and Thorin follows them stretching his body on the way. He has been prepared for this moment a long time already. 

The guards lead him up the wooden stairs which was made from like branches of a tree and at its top lies a wooden antlered throne. Thrandui sits gracefully with his legs resting on the other and looks down to meet Thorin’s angry stare full of hatred and anger. 

“What business do you and your company have in my forest?”, Thranduil asks sternly keeping his gaze fixed on the angry dwarf at his foot. The King knows, of course, that Thorin is trying to reach Erebor again. He’s been keeping his eyes on Thorin since news of Thorin Oakenshield out in the wild again after 60 years reach his realm and by following stages of Thorin all the way, he knew how far Thorin has come. But coming to Erebor again to do what, Thranduil didn’t know about that part of Thorin’s plan. It’s not like Thorin is the type who is fond of talking to animal like a random stag in the woods. 

“How do you know about my company? Where are they?”, Thorin’s voice rumbles through the Elven king’s halls and his look to Thorin isn’t any less furious since the beginning. “Somewhere in my forest”, Thranduil replies nonchalantly. “Getting lost, probably starving”, he stands up from his throne and walks slowly down the stairs dragging his robe along. “And in great danger”, stressing the last words he stopped right in front of the dwarf looking down at him with his perfectly cold and emotionless state.

Thorin holds Thranduil’s intense gaze on him without flinching for a second. His lips bite hard so no words can be heard when he hasn’t thought thoroughly. Part of Thorin is surprised at how unchanged Thranduil’s look is over the years. He still has this rare unbelievable beauty with his smooth skin and perfect silver hair fall which Thorin loved the most. Another part of him is angry at the indifferent cold look the elf has facing him like this. Thorin has planned to face Thranduil again differently…with more anger and shouting, to look into those crystal sparkling eyes and see if the elf has ever regretted his decision. Thorin had imagined Thranduil with many plausible explanations for his actions, telling him all about that and may be, just may be Thorin will reconsider their relationship.

But this isn’t like what he imagined. “A leader cannot abandon his team members to death, Thorin Oakenshield”, the elf speaks again after a dead silence fell too long between them. Thorin sighs to himself as he recognizes Thranduil is lecturing him in that tone again…after many years except now that Thorin is no longer a young dwarf prince who knew nothing of the world. 

“The earlier you tell me about your schemes, the more quickly you can save your company.”, the elven king walks away from his captive. “And you don’t have much time I imagine. The Durin Day is near”, he continues as the dwarf’s head shot up at his mention. 

“Durin’s Day”, Thorin gasped at the word. How could Thranduil possibly know about that timeline. The information is kept among the company only. And Thorin knew none of them would tell any words to the elf no matter what. Their company has been very much careful in discussing the quest and never have they mentioned it in public. But most of their quest is spent in the woods on the road anyway where no elf or men exists, except for the wild animals living in nature.

Thorin froze at the thought. Animal walking around in forest. The stag which has been following them. The dwarf hisses angrily drawing Thranduil’s attention again. “You bastard”, he screams at Thranduil and the other turns around to meet an even-angrier drwarf. “You sneaky creepy stalker”, Thorin grits each word through his teeth. 

“What dignity did the great elven king have to throw away to follow the exiled dwarves in the wild? Oh I should have asked you, Thranduil, what interest do you have in our journey, you sneaky bastard”, his voice echoes loudly in the hall. Thorin keeps his eyes on the elf whose jaw dropped opened and eyes widened at his reply for a brief moment. Quickly the elf retreated to his normal indifferent reaction and dismissed the guards so that now they are the only two left in the throne room. 

 

When Thorin looks up, the king is back in his throne again looking down to observe carefully but he speaks no words. “Don’t you have anything to explain for yourself, sneaky elf”, Thorin raises his voice again but Thranduil just sits back on the throne keeping his silence.

“Why did you follow us anyway?”, Thorin turns his back on the king walking away. “You left us in our ruins on the day that Smaug came. We were starving, homeless but the elves watched and did nothing”, the dwarf finally lowers his tone and it seems like he was more talking to himself. “Why follow us now when you completely ignore our fate ages ago?”, Thorin sighs closing his eyes and take a deep breath. He jumps slightly when the king’s voice is close to him again. Somehow the elf has moved soundlessly from the throne to next to him and he didn’t even notice.

“Because I worried about you”, Thranduil admits standing tall behind Thorin. His expression is unreadable. But behind that cold mask, a strong urge of confrontation rises in him demanding him to let Thorin know everything: how he’s been watching the dwarf under the stag eyes, the terrible feeling at how helpless he was when Thorin is in danger with the orcs and spiders and also the heavenly happiness when the dwarf talks to his stag. “And it seems that you missed me too”, Thranduil adds more naturally but the dwarf turns around instantly at his choice of words.

“I do not MISS you”, he states firmly taking a few steps back to avoid their close distance. Thorin looks up at the elf; his expression is perfectly neutral but in his eyes Thorin can read more. It’s a tip that he has learnt many ages ago, how to read Thranduil through his eyes. And now in those clear bright blue eyes is a mix of worry, desperation and longing. The dwarf didn’t prepare for that. His anger for Thranduil of his decision in the past and the pain of being separated from Thranduil so many years still clouded his mind. He doesn’t feel convinced that because the elf says he cares, it really means he does. But his eyes tell a different story that confuses Thorin so badly.

Before Thorin could react anything more, he feels Thranduil’s hand since when already land on the behind of his neck and pulls him closer so that his lips can brush over Thorin’s. It was a quick touch of the lips but all the sensation and smells awakens Thorin immediately. It’s like all of these years since he left Erebor, his heart went into a coma and now Thranduil against had wakened it with his rosy lips, gentle touches and heavenly wood smell. When he feels the other is about to retreat, Thorin stands on the tips of his toes pushing Thranduil even further propping him to open his lips so he can taste more. Not until now did Thorin realize it was not only the longing from the elven king but from himself as well. He missed and wanted Thranduil so badly that at such simple touch, he is ready to let go of everything and just go with it. 

“Now you admit it”, Thranduil smiles between their kisses. Luckily he asked all the guards to go out already; otherwise the scene may seem strange to his people: their king bending over to kiss a dwarf and the other obviously standing tip-toe trying to deepen their kiss. But Thranduil decided he wouldn’t care much anyway. All he wants to focus on now is his old lover who he just gained back again. 

Then the door flew opened suddenly and before Thranduil could have time to dump his extreme fury on the impolite servant who entered without no permission, his eyes met the familiar slim figure, as tall as a young tree with silver light hair just like his. And the King’s icy cold blue eyes widened to meet the same blue eyes which seem to be going through hundreds of emotions at the same time but mostly just confusion. Legolas stands frozen at the door; his keen eyesight caught every details in the throne room within a-second-glimpse like how the great Elven King’s face was mere inches apart from the dwarf, how his fingers and the stone ring is still entwining in the dwarf hair and how quickly they pull apart as if Legolas’s look can burn the distance between them. 

Before the three can react in any ways to break the awkwardness, bunch of dwarves rushed into the throne room pushing Legolas forward. They were probably held behind Legolas to be taken to the king. Thorin sighs with great relief when seeing his company but the other dwarves just stare dumbfounded at the scenario in the room. Their leader is shifting uncomfortably at their entrance. The elven king stands steps away facing him, his head holds high with the same emotionless state holding his gaze on the prince who just successfully captured them all.

“I had caught them all together my Lord”, Legolas stated firmly not backing away from Thranduil’s gaze. Instead, the prince seems to demand some explanation for what he saw. Because the elf’s eye sight is one of the best and he is sure he cannot be mistaken. But then why would he see his father’s true affection towards a dwarf. He has been living with his father for a long time but the prince has never seen the king like that…falling into some kind of enchantment…until today…and not to mention it comes from the dwarves. 

“Thanks to your tricks”, the prince noticed how the punishing power of his father dances dangerously in his eyes as he heard how the last three words were emphasized. Legolas has no idea why he adds that detail but it probably has achieved something because the dwarf leader, Thorin Oakenshield as Legolas has learned, clearly glares shortly at the King and back at his company.

“Send them to the guest room”, Thranduil speaks in his kingly tone as he must do his duty. “And make sure you guard them well”, he watches Legolas nod briefly and not spare him a second glance. He needs to talk to his son but Thranduil doesn’t think there are any thing left to be explained anyway; and plus it seems that the matters he has with the dwarf has not been solved completely yet. 

Thranduil turns to Thorin and just as he expects, the dwarf follows his company right away. He does look at Thranduil once and it is not asking for permission. “I’ll go with them”, he speaks, and if the burning desire Thranduil feels from Thorin minutes ago is real, the dwarf clearly keeps them well in check.. He didn’t stop Thorin and soon the guards lead all the dwarves out leaving the king alone on his throne with a troubling mind and the unsatisfied need that his heart has been longing for a while.


	3. I see you (cont.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the continuation of the previous chapter because it's too long I think I need to cut it into two parts.
> 
> (still not proof-read, i'm so sorry)

Thorin walked silently along side of his company, which was guarded by the elf who obviously interrupted the King and pissed him off but safely got away with it. He was the prince after all. Thorin found that to be not so surprising. He has so many questions about how his company all come together at the same time and what happened after he ran off; but he didn’t want the elf to eavesdrop anything and report to his father so Thorin keeps his mouth shut. As soon as the dwarves are led into a simple small room after walking down stairs after stairs, the elf sent them one more disgusted glare, which hit directly at Thorin but the dwarf isn’t much bothered; and then he left so Thorin can finally have some private moment with his company.

“How come you are here too Thorin?”, Dwalin starts and a series of agreement and questions from others followed him. “What does the Elven King want?”, Balin continues. “Will he stop us?”, Dwalin adds. “Isn’t that the elf betraying Erebor on the day that Smaug came?”, shouting a young confused voice from Kili and Fili taps his brother’s shoulder approvingly.

“ENOUGH”, Thorin silences them all with his growl. He glares around his company and they look down avoiding his gaze. “Where is Bilbo?”, he asks but the other just shakes their head. “How did you get caught?”, he goes back to the most important point. “What trick does the elf mean?”. 

“We saw the stag again and we followed them uncle”, Fili replies. “We were trying to find you, Thorin”, Balin continues. “We lost you since you ran after that stag so when we see it again, we thought it may lead us to you”.

“Which it did”, Dwalin finishes for his brother. His arms were crossed in front of his chest looking at Thorin accusingly. “Are you okay Thorin?”, Balin reaches his shoulder and watches him carefully. “How are you here”, the elder asks again calmly and Thorin decides that he may as well let them know the story, or may be a part of it. 

“I fell into a pond and the elves found me. The water was poisonous so I passed out for a few days. I just woke up today thanks to the elves’ herbs”, he replies. The dwarves sighed with relief as Kili speaks “Lucky the elves are there. You could have drown”. 

“Lucky?”, Dwalin spats angrily; his look goes back from Thorin to Kili and then back at Thorin with the same accusation he’s been holding. “What herb did they use on you?”, he pushes Thorin strongly and the dwarf moves back a bit looking at his friend with utter confusion. 

“I don’t understand why you - ”, Thorin starts but it was cut shortly by Dwalin’s bitter words. “The Thorin we knew would speak about the elves with nothing but hatred and angst, with the burning anger that never eased for their betrayal in the past”, he flares his hands around and Thorin notices how every one starts nodding in agreement because Dwalin totally has a point. “Not something nonchalantly and the hidden grateful tone that you just used”, he holds his gaze on Thorin and the dwarf couldn’t get away. 

Thorin feels trapped among his company. He shifts uncomfortably under Dwalin’s gaze of daggers and other members’ confusing gaze demanding an explanation. What could he tell them now when all the time before he is the one constantly reminding them to have no interactions with the elves, about how treacherous they can be and how deep the vengeance between two races have formed. 

“Does the stag belong to the King?”, Balin’s voice was still calm and assuring for Thorin. The elder looks at him with understanding because he is the only one knowing about his beautiful past with Thranduil. So Thorin nods. And a chunks of hisses and disdaining snickers spread among the company. “Bastard”, Thorin hears someone mumbling the word. “Uncle was tricked”, Kili admits to himself with great surprise; which makes Thorin’s heart sink lower a bit at how respectful his nephews look up to him and he may have disappointed them with his blind interest towards such a random stag. But the stag is the Thranduil himself watching every steps of Thorin along the way; but his company doesn’t need to know that. 

Few elf guards entered without any notice bringing places of food and drinks for the dwarves. Thorin catches Legolas’s gaze again and he wants to smirk victoriously to piss the other off but he controls himself. When the door was closed again, the company looks at the presented dishes on the table longingly. And without any signal, they all rush to the table to grab whichever they find interesting and stuffs hurriedly into their mouth. After all they have been wandering in the forest for days to find Thorin and the way out.

And when the dwarves filled their stomach involuntarily with the elf-provided food, they find themselves a place in the room to rest; all except for Thorin and Balin. Dwalin sits in a corner opposite to Thorin still wrestling his fingers and glares at Thorin and his brother suspiciously every few seconds. The white hair dwarf takes his place next to Thorin near the door. He speaks nothing and they just sit in silence for a while until the only sound to be heard in the room was Gloin’s snore. 

“What does he want?”, Balin speaks quietly despite the awkward silence of the room. “The reasons why we return and what do we seek in Erebor”, Thorin replies as he notices Dwalin pretending to move in the distance proving that he is aware of the conversation. 

“Did he trick you for secret information of our quest?”, Balin is clearly worried. “I haven’t told him anything yet”, the other squeezes Thorin’s hand with relief. 

“He said he cares about me”, Thorin speaks out his mind and he really doesn’t bother if Dwalin can hear that from across the room or not. He just needs to let it out to someone for consultant because his mind himself is a mess of emotions and thoughts as well. 

“He may…or he may not”, Balin stares thoughtfully into the distance and Thorin unintentionally grumbles annoyed at the other’s choice of words. “You have to be careful Thorin”, Balin starts again. “He may just take advantage of your past affection to get what he needs”, Thorin sees in Balin’s eyes the genuine concern the elder has for him. He is the one witnessing the worst of Thorin’s suffering since Thranduil left them at Erebor before. 

“His current affection”, Dwalin speaks from across the room making Thorin jumps slightly at the other’s interference. Balin just shrugs when Thorin looks at him and before the dwarf can defend for himself, another voice startling both the three dwarves.

“Bilbo”, Thorin exclaimed happily when Bilbo shows up from behind a column. “Shusshh, you can wake up everyone”, the hobbit tip-toed carefully towards Thorin’s place and greets him with the brightest most assuring smile Thorin can feel in these days. “Since when were you here?”, Dwalin asks and Bilbo replies simply “I sneaked inside when the guards bring you food.”. “And they didn’t see you?”, Dwalin asks again with a strange admiration in his voice that Thorin has never heard before. And the hobbit just smiles sheepishly and sits next to Thorin.

Bilbo’s appearance and his firm assurance that he will get them out warms the three’s depressing mind immediately. Balin goes over and over with Bilbo about the structure of the palace while Dwalin takes notes of the guards’ schedule to calculate when is the best time to escape. But Thorin just sits on the floor resting against the wall and half listening to the other’s plans. His mind was still on the tall slender figure of the elf, how good it feels to touch that smooth cheeks, to feel those rosy lips. If Thorin had set a goal for himself to focus even more when reaching Mirkwood, he had been failing his goal miserably right now. He still can feel the elf’s scent around, which he would love to bury his head into those shoulder blades sniffing and panting. He rubs his palm aggressively over his face to get rid of those thoughts when he catches Balin’s attentive look on him as if he can see what’s on Thorin’s mind.

Bilbo puts his hands in his pocket leaning back so now he can rest on the floor. “So tomorrow night, I’ll try to get you all out”, he concludes and Thorin tries to give him the best assuring smile he can make. He doesn’t doubt the hobbit’s talent any more after he successfully tricked the elves and sneaked inside their room without any problems. But the problem is probably coming from him and his troubled mind.

“You need to make up your mind Thorin”, the old dwarf leans over and whispers to Thorin so softly that no one seems to notice. And he doesn’t need to specify more, Thorin knows what he needs to figure out already. The burning desire to hold the elf in his arms again is still as strong as the first moment he saw the elf on the throne but Balin’s words were still ringing in his ears. It could be his tricks, just as the one with the stag. And now when Thorin thinks about it, Thranduil has been tricking him the entire time. 

o0o

Tonight is one of the biggest celebration of the elves for the starlight, to throw feast and parties and enjoy themselves. But Thranduil just sits silently in his throne at the center of the room, holding a glass of wine in his hand. His stone ring shines even more in the moonlight but the King isn’t interested in enjoying its beauty. He keeps thinking about this morning when he asked to summon Thorin again. He must have expected too much since their kiss yesterday that the rude cold-blooded attitude of the dwarf hurts him too badly. Thorin’s angry growls and sneers at how he tried to trick all the company with the stag, his projection and even more how coward Thranduil is to tease the dwarf all these time. 

The Elven King sometimes hates himself for not being able to let the dwarf go. He could have cut their bonds completely when he left Thorin behind on the edge of Erebor. But he couldn’t and he hates to see his love and affection as his weakness. But then the dwarf just accused his feelings wrongly, twisted them into some lowly sneaky actions and Thranduil is tired of that. He sent Thorin back to his room, unable to make the dwarf understand his love for him. How painful it is to live forever and love someone who Thranduil may never get back, he doubt if Thorin ever understands. 

Thranduil just finished another glass of his wine in one shot and ask for more when one of the guards quietly approaches him. “The dwarves, my lord”, he stops to catch his breath, “they’re gone”. Thranduil turns to face the servant; his eyes narrows at him in suspicion making the guard squirm even harder under the King’s dagger gaze. 

He stands up abruptly, fixing his cloak before he follows the guard to which used to be the dwarf’s room minutes earlier. He took only one loyal servant with him and left the party quietly. The most favorite party of his people cannot be ruined by some dwarves after all. 

The king stops in front of the room to which he assigned specifically for the dwarves to stay. And now it’s empty. It’s like the door opening itself so the dwarves can freely walk out despite the guard’s insist that he left for some wine within just minutes. Thranduil scans through the room inside; his eyes caught the glass of herb liquids that he ordered for Thorin to make sure that the harmful effect of the Mirkwood water is cured from the dwarf’s body. But the untouched glass is now burning under the king’s gaze.

“Leave now”, Thranduil gives orders and the guards hurriedly get out of the room to avoid triggering the King’s bad mood. He sits down on the table, his fingers gently wrap around the glass before violently smash it into the collar. Then Thranduil just sits quietly there gazing out at the window. 

“Did you tell him my lord?”, his loyal servant asks when he returned with more wine for Thranduil. The Elven King lazily takes the wine and serves himself a full good glass of wine. “Tell whom what?”, he asks again. His voice is deadly serious and cold.. 

“The dwarf, my lord”, the servant watches his king attentively because after all this time being his private servant, he can tell the king is more upset than he shows on the outside. He’s heard the two’s conversation in the morning and he swears he just want to rip the dwarf apart when listening to his stupid accusation. 

“Tell him that it was you holding him every night when he was in the coma and tortured with nightmares from the poisoned water”, he finishes in one breath. It pains him to see the great elven king’s great affection towards a dwarf and the way his love was returned was unfair. And the dwarf just seems to never notice or be aware of it. Thranduil’s eyes twitched slightly at his reminder. But the king said nothing; instead he picked up a full jar of wine, finished it at once and then he just left. The servant stood frozen at his place watching the king leaving and he did not dare to follow. Despite of his experience and the king’s favor, he was afraid his words were too inappropriate because sometimes he cannot hide his genuine concern for the king no matter what. 

However, the poor loyal servant didn’t know that his words triggered the memories in Thranduil’s mind, the beautiful yet painful moments the King can recall on those long sleepless nights that the King holds the dwarf in his arm and he feels like he can have Thorin fully for himself again. But his servant just reminded him that everything is just an illusion and his lover is now off again somewhere in the woods heading to Erebor facing which danger Thranduil couldn’t tell. And it’s worse this time because his stag cannot follow him anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Errrrr, let me know what you guys think pleaseeeeee!!! Because honestly I don't know how it ends up like this. Originally it ended at the kissing scene which is the good start for some passionate love-making after a lengthy seperation. Then I went on a vacation, came back and there's this twist. Ugh, I don't know what you guys will think about it. I may just go with the love making night then.
> 
> I had a scenario in mind in which they basically have some mind-blowing sex together after Thorin cleared out the misunderstanding and let go all of his angst and hatred for Thranduil but I'm so terrible, really terrible at writing bed scenes, sex scenes, whatever so I couldn't follow that path ( ._.)


	4. Till we meet again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, the coming chapters are longer than I expected mainly as I was in the 'fix-bofa-mood' when continuing this.  
> Sorry for the terrible long wait :D It was at first written as a completed one chapter but it was too long so I break it into 3 parts.
> 
> Anw I hope you guys like it *hugs*

CHAPTER 4

 

Not long after the great feast of starlight, the halls of King Thranduil was suddenly busier with all the army weapon preparation. Thranduil finally made his decision after Legolas reported to him how the orcs fiercely chase after the dwarves of Erebor.  Something bad was coming, Thranduil could tell with his thousand-of-year sense of danger. He hadn’t had time to find out Thorin’s plans yet but if it was just a little bit similar to his expectation, he knew Thorin would be in great danger. 

He had been pondering at the call for days since Legolas reported; but when another messenger told him he saw Legolas and an orc fighting just outside Laketown and the prince chased after him, Thranduil made up his mind. So the elven-king put on his bright silver armor, which he hadn’t used for a long time. He hated everything about it, armors and weapons, wars and fighting, which took away his dear father, which all led to death and loss at the end. Yet now he used it again because this time Thranduil didn’t want to fail to protect the ones he loved anymore no matter how much Thorin still hated him.

“Not this time”, Thranduil watched his reflection in the mirror showing him the determined strong look of his crystal clear blue eyes. But if he looked longer at the armor, he would think more of war and death and the lives of his people so he blinked and turned quickly away. 

o0o

When his army reached the ruins of Dale, Thranduil ordered for the food and drink to be delivered to the Laketown refugees who had suffered too much from Smaug’s attack. The king was on his way to Erebor when he heard of the tragedy fell upon the people of Laketown so he sent some people return to Mirkwood and come back with food and water supply to help. A rare smile crossed his face as he noticed how the men are happy to see the elves bringing along so many things for their needs. 

Bard, who seemed to be a leader of the men, bowed respectfully before him and Thranduil dismissed it shortly. “What are your plans now for your people?”, Thranduil asked when he got off his elk to stand next to the human and watch the poor people started sharing out whatever they received from the elves.

 "To claim what was promised to us”, Bard replied with another bow but Thranduil stopped him with a shoulder-touch and the other met his eyes and understood the king’s point. The elven-king looked confused for a moment at his answer so Bard quickly led him up the stairs to the higher walls where they could see the gate of Erebor from afar.

“The dwarves survived. And Thorin promised us earlier when he stayed at Laketown that he would share part of the treasure with all of us”, Bard continued. Thranduil looked at the man doubtfully when he talked about the survived dwarves. But as the elven-king himself observed the Erebor’s gate longer, he could see sparks of flames inside the mountain, signs of the Thorin’s company. His heart warmed a bit at the realization.

 “Then your men have nothing to worry about anymore”, Thranduil smiled fondly at the thought of a generous and honorable Thorin. Bard froze for a few seconds when he saw the King’s small smile. Elves were beautiful, he has heard of it for a long time. But when meeting them directly, he was still blown away at how breathtaking their appearance is, especially the ancient elf king standing in front of him right now. He was thousand years old as he expected, but little did the signs of time show on his flawless face. If time had left any traces on him, it would be in his eyes, cold and distant yet deep as they carried tales of thousand years inside.

 “So when will you go talk to the dwarves?”, Thranduil’s question brought Bard back to the conversation after he was momentarily distracted by the King’s beauty. But from Thranduil’s expression, Bard could tell it wasn’t a very embarrassing thing to happen, may be he wasn’t the only one falling under the spell of the King’s charming appearance.

 “I already did. Yesterday morning.”, Bard walked away from the watching wall to return to the city center. “He went back on his words, can’t you believe that?” Bard laughed bitterly as if he was recalling how the negotiation went on yesterday. The Thorin he met yesterday still looked the same, yet he talked differently spitting angry nonsense words at the laketown men and totally ignored the helpful acts they provided for the dwarves earlier. The dwarf’s voice was heavy, dark and full of anger, which was impossible to  reason with. Bard told Thranduil everything, Thorin’s words by words, imitating the dwarf’s voice for better illustration. The bowman was too lost in his anger at the dwarf’s betrayal that he didn’t notice the elven-king was surprised at the dwarf he described as well.

 “But now with your food and drink aid, we gained our strengths back. So we could fight to claim what is promised for us.”, the man’s smile light up with those words. And now Thranduil noticed he was introduced to a weapon storage and he knew what exactly Bard wanted to do.

 “Will you help us?”, the man turned to look at the Elven King, eyes filled with hope and wonders but it was cut with Thranduil’s brief sharp glare “I will not start a war because of some gold”.

 Thranduil turned to leave for the upstairs but he stopped at the middle, paused for a moment and turned around “I will not start a war. But your people have good reasons to claim that shared part of yours. You are in great need of it. So may be my army will push Thorin Oakenshield to reconsider his decision”.

 Bard’s eyes stared widen at the King’s words and he was not the only one. Thranduil was doubtful of his sudden decision too but he hid it well. Not certain that his decision was because he wanted to help Laketown gain some justice or he was worried of this new dishonored dwarf Bard described earlier. May be a chance to see Thorin again was what he truly seek for since he came here.

 The next morning armies of elves got ready in Dale facing Erebor when Thranduil and Bard slowly rode their elk and horse to the gate of Erebor. It was now a closed door built from piles of large rocks as the dwarves stood high above looking down at the guests.

 “Hail Thorin, King under the Moutain”, Bard greeted formally when they stopped in front of Erebor. Thorin’s eyes met Thranduil’s ones shortly when he halted his elk. Flash of surprises flashed on Thorin’s face but quickly he tilted his chin looking proudly and kingly with the golden crown on his head and thick fur coat draping over his bulky figure.

 “Honestly after yesterday’s talk, I didn’t expect you to come back with an army of elves, Bard the Dragon Slayer”, Thorin’s tone is full of mockery. “Are your people robbers now?”, he leaned on the high walls tilting his head at Bard and had this ‘i-know-who-you-are’ smile on his face.

 “We didn’t come to rob you, King under the Mountain”, Bard tried to keep the conversation courtesy well. “What I said yesterday remained the same”, Thorin spoke simply ignoring the angry look Bard gave him. “And us the dwarves will fight to protect my people’s treasure till our last breath”, finished the sentence, Thorin turned around to leave but he stopped when another voice called out his name.

 “There would be no need for a war, Thorin, son of Thrain”, that smooth but powerful tone was unmistakable and soon Thorin found him leaning on the high wall again and looked directly at the elven-king. The elf’s eyes were bright yet expressionless locking with Thorin’s, while Bard casted a brief glare at the king next to his side. That look Bard gave didn’t escape Thorin’s eyes. He gritted his teeth noticeably at the interaction between the two visitors. Thorin knew so well of the look the man had for the elven king, which seemed to be a reflection of the young Thorin on the first days when Thranduil visited Erebor. And how that look simply drove the dwarf out of control!

 “You brought armies of elves to my door and told me it’s not a war?”, Thorin laughed sarcastically.  “Were you mistaken me as the young dwarf you met ages ago in Erebor or did you learn your lessons since we slipped through your fingers earlier?”, Thorin asked. His dark eyes pierced at the elven-king and he smirked victoriously when all the dwarves cheered for his remark at the elf. But Thranduil paid his insult no mind as he realized this was the first time the dwarf mentioned of the time they were in Erebor since their separation.

 “As I recalled, the young dwarf prince I met in Erebor many years ago was the reasonable and honorable one. Would he speak with me now for my intentions were pure fairness and peace”, with those words, Thranduil gracefully climbed off his elk and waited. The dwarves were arguing on the walls and Thorin kept his eyes on Thranduil for a moment before he tilted his head to a side signaling Thranduil to come closer to the gate.

 “A king would never go against his words, Thorin”, Thranduil leaned down to speak through a carved hole on the rock wall when he saw Thorin standing on the other side. “I do not need you to teach me how to rule my kingdom”, he spatted angrily without even looking at the elf.

 “I will not give my treasure to the ones claiming to help me but only because they want the gold . Not. A. Single. Coin”, Thorin hit his hand hard at the rock standing face-to-face with the Elvenking now. Anger heated his cheeks as he glared at Thranduil full of hatred and the Elvenking was taken aback at the dwarf’s reaction and his cold ruthless voice. Thorin had never sounded like this before, not even when he was captured in Thranduil’s hall.

 “Is the gold truly worth more than your honor? What about your compassion? Their life is all ruined in the dragon fire.”, Thranduil went on speaking but he was more careful at his choice of words. And also he spent more time observing Thorin through the wall.

 “I am surprised you brought this up, Elvenking”, Thorin raised his brows knowingly before continuing “I am just doing what you did to us 60 years ago”. Thorin held his gaze watching the elf shifting uncomfortably at the recalled memory. Thranduil made no reply to that. The dwarf would never understand nor forgive him and Thranduil didn’t need someone who constantly nagged him of the day he made the most difficult and heart-breaking decision in all his king duties. With one last warning gaze at the dwarf king, Thranduil straightened up turning to leave. “You have no tricks to lure me this time, sneaky elf”, Thorin spatted at the elf’s back but the other pretended not to notice him.

 So Thorin went back to the high walls, smiled satisfyingly at the sight of the two visitors departing. But his satisfaction cracked a bit when he noticed how the elf rode quickly to match with the man’s horse only to pat slightly on his shoulder before racing more quickly to Dale. That moment of Thranduil and Bard was brief but it stayed long in the dwarf’s mind.

 After the casual chat with the elves at the gate, Thorin continued his other quest inside Erebor. He ordered everyone down to the halls of gold to keep searching for the Arkenstone. He, however, wandered around the halls, picked up gems and golden coins, observed them, caressed them and smiled at them like they were his favorite children in the family. This was his family after all; this was what his grandfather left for him and now he must protect them at all costs.

 Then Thorin’s hands met a fine piece of jewelry, a thin-lined necklace carved from white bright gems as if they were made from the stars themselves. Thorin gazed at it, hesitated momentarily before picking up the jewelry and now he got a chance to observe it better. He remembered this work, and the customer who asked for it. He also remembered the horrified look on Thranduil when Thror withheld it from him.

 “Uncle”, he looked up to see Fili walking down the stairs towards him. “We’ve searched everywhere, still no sign of it”, the young dwarf spoke between his breaths. “Is that …”, Fili stared in awe at the necklace in Thorin’s hand. “The reward in return for the elf’s help”, Thorin briefly reminded Fili about the offer Thranduil made to him the morning later when he was reunited with his company.

 Fili watched his uncle putting up the necklace again, stretching it into its form. Thorin smiled fondly at the jewelry. Mischief sparkled in his eyes as he imagined putting it on Thranduil, the sight of the elf with nothing on except for this piece of jewelry immediately stirred the deep hidden desire in him as his naughty grin got wider.

 “Uncle”, Fili cleared his throat after moments watching his uncle falling into some weird fantasizing state simply with the elf’s necklace. “You were saying?”, Thorin snapped out of his imagination, turned to look at Fili. “The Arkenstone”, Fili started but it was cut by Thorin’s angry growl which didn’t even exist in him seconds ago “No one stopped until it is found”.

 “But Uncle”, Fili protested weakly but his uncle's glance silenced him immediately. His uncle’s eyes have never been so cold and emotionless to him like he was now. Minutes earlier he still looked normal and happy sharing with him stories of the elves, but now it’s pure strictness and harshness as the King gazed at him. “I will make sure they continued the search”, Fili answered and Thorin gave him an approving nod. “Leave now”, he said with his still low and dark voice.

 As the young dwarf left, Thorin returned his attention to the white gems that his once-love desired so greatly. “I’ll take you with nothing but this on whether you wanted it or not, elf”, Thorin spoke to himself; a sudden urge of ultimate dominance took control of him. The dwarf wanted to control everything: the mountain, the gold, the Arkenstone and now the elf. Such a strong desire grew heavier day by day in his heart without the dwarf’s awareness and soon enough it may consume him to the point of no return.

 o0o 

The night soon came and the dwarves were scattering around the palace looking for places to rest. No one dare speak to Thorin. They would only glance at him and slightly shook their heads as he walked by. But the dwarf king didn't notice that. He was too deep in his gold lust to notice anything else. Thorin stood on the high walls alone contemplating his decision. He did nothing wrong; why was everyone so against him. All he ever did was to protect his people's treasure. They spent their entire life building up this kingdom with all this gold. Surely his ancestors wouldn't blame him if he started a war to protect it, wouldn't they?

 The fire in Dale was lit up when the darkness overtook the land. The lands were empty, no trees or animals were found here in those years the land was inhabited by a fire-breathing dragon. No animals it seemed, until Thorin caught sight of a small white stag leaving Dale and running to the Northern side. It stopped momentarily looking at the place where Thorin was standing; and the dwarf knew the stag for sure. Even from the distance he could feel those eyes staring straight at him trying to communicate something. But the dwarf knew this trick so well.

He pulled out his short bow and aimed. "You will not fool me this time, elf!", he gritted and let his arrow fly through the night. And he hit it. He hit the stag this time as the animal stood still frozen within seconds when the arrow was approaching. And it moved in time the arrow came which made it pierced slightly through its behind leg instead of pinning deeply into its flesh.

 Thorin watched as the stag was limping further north. And he pursued it. The dwarf ran to the wall side, casted away his heavy golden armor to climb the rope down and he followed where the stag had fled. He soon noticed the blood drops on the way and finally he saw the stag resting at the foot of Ravenhill.

 "You will not run away this time", he smirked dangerously approaching and the stag startled; it tried to move away. But it was only pushed further into the small cave and when it noticed, there is no way else to run except in Thorin's direction where the dwarf was waiting with a long thick rope.

 Without much effort, Thorin got the injured animal under his control with a loop around his neck. The more violently the stag resisted, the tighter the loop was around him so he stopped and Thorin fixed the rope firmly so now he could walk the animal home. "You were him, aren't you? Then you should learn how to obey me, Thranduil. Because sooner or later I will have you tied and be obedient to me in my halls", Thorin put his hand on the stag's forehead, caressing not very gently and the stag shook his head to get away from the dwarf's grab.

 Being annoyed, Thorin grabbed the stag by its mouth fiercely and the animal stopped struggling. The dwarf smiled looking at the beautiful animal but his smile slowly disappeared when he looked into those eyes. The pure innocent and panic look stared back at him. The dwarf felt uncomfortable with that look as if the stag was accusing him. It then groaned quietly and Thorin startled to notice the rope was digging into its neck causing marks and its leg was still bleeding.

 Immediately Thorin let go of the rope; he moved few steps backwards leaning against the rock stared at the animal's white fur bleeding red. He did this to a lovely animal he once was very fond of, Thorin froze at the realization and the stag took its chance. It jumped over the dwarf and ran away as quickly as it injured leg allowed. Still too caught up in the savage act of himself, Thorin stood there and watched as the animal fled back to the city of Dale.

 When Thorin climbed back to Erebor, Bilbo was already there waiting for him. "What is it, master burglar?", he asked noticing how distressed the hobbit looked. "You can't be serious about going to war, Thorin", the hobbit was deeply concerned. "I would do anything to protect my people's treasure", he replied coarsely.

 "Do you value gold above your kin's lives?", Bilbo nearly cried. He grabbed Thorin's arm when the dwarf turned to leave. "I love them Bilbo", Thorin turned around so he could face Bilbo and he grabbed the hobbit by both of his shoulders. "But you have to understand", his grasp was tighter, "a treasure as great as this cannot be measured in life loss", Thorin shook the hobbit lightly. "We will fight to our death", his eyes locked on Bilbo intensely  trying to make the hobbit understand. In return, Bilbo only stared at him dumbstruck and confused. Thorin sighed; he dropped his hands and walked down the stairs.

 o0o

Thranduil was deep in his thoughts when the door to his private tent flew opened and the wizard entered followed by a small creature he rarely saw. Bard followed the last to close the door. Thranduil fixed his robe and composed to his normal self before greeting the guests. He was still shocked, if elves experienced such, at the incident happened hours ago outside Dale, more exactly was at the dwarf he met but now Thranduil knew he had to do his king duties before minding his personal issues.

 "So this was the hobbit who dared to ruined the greatest feast of my people by freeing the dwarves prisoners", Thranduil said nonchalantly. His tone was even and emotionless; his eyes were observing the hobbit carefully with much curiosity. How come such a tiny creature has enough talents to rescue all the dwarves within minutes, Thranduil had to know.

 The hobbit looked at Thranduil, then he looked down not daring to meet the Elvenking's icy cold eyes. He peeked up at Gandalf and the wizard gave him a slight encouraging nod so the hobbit mumbled "Yup...sorry about that" as he shifted uncomfortably under the King's gaze.

 But Thranduil's interest in the dwarves escape plan was soon replaced when the hobbit presented the shiny Arkenstone on the table. The elf's breath got caught in his throat when he looked at the king's jewel so close to his reach. The stone's glimmering light made it look so beautiful and irresistible that Thranduil couldn't help but touch it and feel it.

 Bilbo said the Arkenstone was meant as a ransom to avoid war. The Hobbit's courage and wisdom amazed the Elvenking. He smiled fondly at the hobbit, whose ears turning red upon the king's favor. However Thranduil's bright mood slowly decreased as he listened to the hobbit's story and why he did what he did to his dwarf friend.

 "He didn't sleep. He barely ate.", the hobbit had been escorted to a comfortable resting place by his most trusted guards yet Thranduil still found Bilbo's words ringing closely in his mind. The picture of a sick Thorin the hobbit described, Thranduil could see it clearly in his mind. It was signs of the dragon sickness, the one that drove Thror mad; Thranduil saw it before and now it came to Thorin.

 "It's a jealous possessive love seeking control over everything he wants", Gandalf spoke merely to himself but Thranduil still hear it. He recalled the strange state of the Durin prince he encountered earlier. A violent Thorin with cruel heartless acts who cared only to get what he wanted. A sick Thorin whose eyes full of mad possession over Thranduil's projection. The dwarf must have thought the stag was Thranduil himself, that is why he hunt it. And his words echoed in Thranduil's mind giving him unsettling thoughts "i will have you.....tied and obedient...". The recalled memory sent shivers down Thranduil's spine.

 “Is there any cure?”, Thranduil asked and held his breath waiting for the wizard’s answer. The old man walked back and forth in his small tent, nibbling his pipe and he shook his head slightly as he looked straight at the elf “Is there anything the dwarf wanted more than the gold? Love might be powerful than the gold obsession but as Bilbo told, his love for Fili and Kili, the family bond, wasn’t enough.” And the tent fell silent again as everyone was lost in their thoughts.

 "My lord, what is your final decision?", Thranduil looked up to meet a worried Gandalf watching him intently. "Never have I caught an elf losing himself in thoughts too deep that he was mindless of the surroundings.", the wizard added, "it only happened with thoughts of their love, if I'm not mistaken". Gandalf looked at Thranduil questioning but the Elven-king ignored his unnecessary comment. "We started at dawn", he talked to Bard and the other nodded in agreement with his head bowed a little in respect. Thranduil sighed giving up; no matter how many times he told the man he treated the dragon slayer with same respect so he could throw away the courtesy with his title as the King, Bard still refused the privilege.

 That night the elvenking took no rest as he couldn't find peace in his mind much as he tried. He could have thought of the dragon sickness on the Durin’s line earlier. He could have stopped Thorin from reaching the mountain so the dwarf could avoid the curse. He regretted the moment he let the dwarf get away when instead he should have kept him close to his side and ignore every dark things coming which he knew too well of.

 “Ada, are you well?”, Legolas had returned to his side at the same time with Gandalf’s visit. He didn’t rush to reply, instead Thranduil walked outside his tent where its front was facing the gate of Erebor and he kept his eyes on it. “Ada”, the elf prince called again and this time Thranduil nodded curtly. There is no way he could tell his son that Thorin’s ruthless angry tone haunted his mind; or the way the dwarf acted not-him-self kept him worried. “Valar please, tell me how can I save him from his curse?”, Thranduil looked up at the clear night sky pleading silently to himself.

 Across where Thranduil’s tent stood was the Gallery of the Kings in Erebor. Rarely did Thorin visit here. He spent much of his time wandering in the lower halls, surrounding himself with gold and gems. But tonight Thorin felt suffocated. His head had been aching since he returned to the mountain this evening; and the pain seemed worse. Many of his companies had come and talked to him of how much he had changed since they came back to Erebor but the dwarf just cut them off and made them focus on their main business: finding his Arkenstone.

 They knew nothing. Thorin thought bitterly to himself. All he ever did was to protect them and the dwarf’s kingdom from the men who hold no honor to come and ask for their treasure. Also the elves, Thorin’s fingers curled into a fist as he remembered how the elves stood by the men, how the elven-king stayed closely and protectively next to the normal fisherman. The image drove Thorin angry, he could sense it well as he could hear himself gritting each word in his mind “He is mine…and mine alone.”

 


	5. I am sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the Battle of Five Armies and Thranduil found himself in a tough situation to make decision...again.

CHAPTER 5

When morning came, armies of elves already stood ready at the gate of Erebor. So were thirteen dwarves who were fully armed and gathered on the front high wall looking down at the army below. Just like the day before, Thranduil rode his elk proudly approaching; his eyes were locking with Thorin’s for the entire time. The dwarf in his kingly golden armor reminded Thranduil unkindly of the image of Thror in the past; but his eyes were still the warm color he used to enjoy looking deep into. The last time those eyes promised him love was when the dwarf learned that Thranduil had always cared about him. But now Thranduil wasn’t so sure anymore.

Thorin’s jaw held tight observing the army and the leader. He narrowed his eyes when sight of a white horse running fast to catch up with the king’s elk and riding beside him. Quickly Thorin drew out his bow, and again he aimed but this time it wasn’t at a white stag or Thranduil’s riding elk. He looked straight at the Elvenking whose eyes flashed a glimpse of pain at the familiar sight. The dwarf held his breath. He hurt the elf yesterday, he reminded himself.  But blind jealousy overtook his mind as he let the arrow fly again; however this time it landed between the elk’s leg.

 Thranduil glared at the missed arrow, then looked up again at the dwarf king. And the elf smirked challengingly while Thorin got one more arrow ready. “Thorin”, Balin touched Thorin’s shoulder, he shook his head confusedly with Thorin’s action. However, before the dwarf could make any move, thousands arrows were being aimed at him and the dwarves by the silent orders of the elvenking’s head tilt.

 Thranduil sighed visibly as he ordered his elves to stand back. This is not how he wanted to face Thorin; but the dwarf kept things difficult with his strange short-tempered mood. He would want to have another private conversation with Thorin, to see if there were anyways he could knock him out of the dwarf’s gold sickness but there would be no time for that. So instead Thranduil announced the dwarves in his apathetic tone of a fair exchange.

 Thorin watched with curiosity and annoyance as Thranduil exchanged looks with Bard who pulled out from his pocket a shinning glittering stone, which is nothing else but the Arkenstone he desired greatly. The dwarf’s gaze was fixed on the stone, then he looked back at Thranduil and the elf was watching him attentively. His eyes opened wide, brows arched waiting for his reactions. The dwarves around him burst out in argument “Is it real?” – “it’s totally a fake” – “You haven’t seen the arkenstone before, how can you tell?”.

 But one voice silenced all and Thorin had to tear his gaze away from his two most desired things to look at the hobbit who was squeaking “That Arkenstone is real. I gave it to them.”

 Everything happened after that confession were too quickly and unexpected. Thorin stormed fiercely towards Bilbo with fire in his eyes as if he could eat the little one alive; while Thranduil hold his breath waiting. “Silly little hobbit”, he sighed to himself. No one should underestimate the dragon sickness and what Thorin would do to the hobbit, Thranduil wouldn’t dare to think about. But the elven-king looked up in shock when Thorin shout orders from the wall to throw the hobbit down. It pained the Elvenking to witness fully how much being succumbed to the sickness the dwarf was, with his eyes purely ruthless and blind angry as he violently held Bilbo leaning on the wall. He opened his mouth planning to say something, to sooth the dwarf and to wake him from the hole he’s digging himself into, but Thranduil couldn’t find any words. He froze at the sight of his love now turned into someone who was so lost he couldn’t tell his friends from foe.

Luckily the wizard interrupted in time and Bilbo was saved. Thranduil watched Thorin talking to Gandalf closely to see if there were any changes in the dwarf, if there were any hopes for a cure but he found none.

 Thranduil’s piercing eyes never left the dwarf king and he silently begged the dwarf to consider Bard’s offer carefully. He held his breath waiting, observing. “Come on, Thorin. Be the dwarf I fell in love with all this time”, he told himself repeatedly as the dwarf just kept his look over the armies as if he was calculating the situation. But all hope was dismissed from Thranduil when he saw the dwarf with his fierce determination for war shouting his insults. The elven-king sighed inwardly as he knew so well what Thorin’s decision meant and he could see the future of their bonds clearly in his mind now.

 o0o

 Thorin’s joy at the presence of the Iron Hill dwarves weren’t long before orcs’ army cries quickly surrounded all elves, men and dwarves’ army. The dwarf froze at the sight of thousand of orcs approaching. Even both elves and dwarves combine, they still seem to be outnumbered. He watched how his cousin led the army forming into a wall to protect the Erebor’s gate. If Dain failed, the orcs would break in and everything he’s been protecting now would be in danger.

 With that thought, Thorin left the barricade and retreated inside despite others protesting madly at his ‘stand-down’ command. Soon he found himself walking among piles of gold again, his mind explored different ways he could save his kin’s treasure. A familiar voice called his name and Thorin’s extreme anger minutes ago now surged again. Bilbo was standing at the last steps of the stair which are just inches away from Thorin and his treasure.

 “Do not take any steps closer or I swear I’ll kill you right here”, Thorin gritted through his teeth. The hobbit disappointed and hurt him so badly that anger seemed to help him cover it well. “I don’t care if you hurt me Thorin; but there are things you must know”, Bilbo stepped down the stair and joined Thorin in the halls of gold now. The hobbit’s reply took Thorin aback. What could possibly be more important than his own life, Thorin was curious.

 “What?”, he spatted with a disdaining look at the hobbit. “Life losses in war didn’t concern you when it was used to protect your kin’s legacy” – “Yes”, Thorin remembered his words and still he found it true. He narrowed his eyes listening to the hobbit more attentively.

 

“But will the life of your love worth more than your treasure? Would you fight if it was your love out there in danger? Would you put your gold above your love now?”, the hobbit asked each question carefully; his eyes never left Thorin. He leaned forward a bit with each questions for Thorin to consider them properly. “What are you talking about?”, the dwarf asked confusedly but Bilbo could tell he was a bit worried. May be love meant something to the dwarf after all. And luckily after one night spent with the elves and men, Bilbo believed he found what Thorin love more than the gold.

 “Not only were the dwarves being surrounded but so were the elves Thorin”, Bilbo squeaked because of the urgency. “The elven-king, Thranduil, loved you Thorin”, he emphasized each word carefully as if giving it time enough for the dwarf’s stubborn head to comprehend. “He had loved you before Smaug's attack and still have after then.”, the hobbit added and Thorin’s eyes widened at the hobbit’s knowledge of the situation.

 “Whatever I had with that elf was in the past. Now he was the one standing with the men against me”, Thorin’s fingers curled into a fist as he always did when he thought about Thranduil being near Bard and his men. His bitter jealous tone didn’t escape Bilbo who smiled little at the new realization of the two kings’ situation.

 “No, he is still in love with you, Thorin”, Bilbo spoke softly as he grabbed Thorin’s shoulder so the dwarf didn’t turn away. “Trust me, I spent the night with the King’s closest servant. And I was there in the palace since you were captured first”, Bilbo added more as Thorin regarded him with a mocking glare as if he was clueless; while the only one who knew nothing of this complication is Thorin himself.

 “No he isn’t”, Thorin replied sternly. His eyes didn’t meet Bilbo’s though and he shrugged off the hobbit’s grasp and left. But before he exited the hall, the hobbit was shouting at top of his lungs behind him. “He loved you. He took care of you when you was poisoned from the water. It was Thranduil, not the elf maid you saw when you’re awake”, Bilbo’s words finally alarmed Thorin and the dwarf turned around giving him a disbelieving look.

 “He held you to sleep every night when you’re under the poison effect. Your screams of pain decreased when you were in his embrace. Your sleep was deeper and - ”, Bilbo continued. His heart warmed a bit at the dwarf’s attentive listen. “I think you could heal so quickly is because of his care, Thorin…He stayed with you every night when you rested and you told me he didn’t love you”, Bilbo’s voice went quiet at the end because he knew he didn’t need to speak anymore.

 And after a pause, he added “From your jealous glances, I can tell you still love him too. So you go out there, you mend the bonds and may be if the two races can work together, we may still win this war. He pushed the now stoned dwarf hardly but Thorin still had this perplexed look on his face for a while but then moments of realization hit Thorin and the look in his eyes changed from anger and hatred to soft and pleasing at the mention. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier Bilbo?”, Thorin shook the hobbit and smiled at him. The dwarf’s genuinely warm smile seemed familiar yet a bit strange for the hobbit. He missed it after such long time. And it looked like the argument on the barricade had never happened.

 “I was just waiting for the right moment”, Bilbo stuttered as Thorin’s reaction was quite more positive than he expected. “If your right moment means declaring my love in the middle of a battle, you have perfect timing master burglar”, Thorin spoke hastily before throwing away his giant fur coat to run up to watch the situation.

 o0o

Thranduil fought great battles in the past against more evil filthy creatures but this time it was different. His army wasn’t totally prepared for a large scale battle. The biggest enemy in his mind at the time was a dragon, not thousands of orcs who streamed endlessly into the battle. And Thranduil knew better that if the elves and dwarves combined, the total army would match against the orcs. But curse the big-headed dwarves from Iron Hill who were not any less stubborn than Thorin and his company; they still refused to stand together this time.

 The great elven-king ordered his army to hold the ground however; and they stayed close to the men of Laketown, which there are no more than hundreds. The men surprised him with their bravery too, no doubt thanks greatly to their strong leader. But then Thranduil saw from the corner of his eyes more ocrs and goblins coming from about three more directions.

 If Thranduil was concerned, he wouldn’t show it, not in the middle of the battle and all was looking up to him. Suddenly one unfamiliar battle horn rang loudly across the field drawing everyone attention. It seemed to come from inside the mountain. And then a loud thumb on the stone wall and it was broken falling down at once. The gate was now opened and thirteen dwarves fully armed ran outside and marched forward.

 “To the King! To the King!”, Thranduil heard Dain shouting out loud and the dwarves indeed formed  in line following the King under the Mountain. What surprised the elf more was Thorin’s next words addressing him directly as he was now on his elk not so far from the dwarves crowd.

 “Would you give the dwarves the honor to fight beside the elves now Elven-king?”, Thorin’s thunder voice rose above all the war noise; and at first Thranduil thought he had misheard the dwarf given the elves’ keen senses. But the dwarves soon joined forces with the elves and that proved Thorin’s point pretty clearly.

 After that brief conversation, Thranduil didn’t have any chances to check with Thorin for his sudden change in behavior. If he paid time to observe the dwarf king, he would say the dwarf’s eyes now still burn fire, but it’s the fire against the orcs, a burning desire to kill them all for what they did to his father and grandfather.

 And if randomly their eyes met after Thranduil just gracefully cut off the orc’s head and Thorin stab another hard with his sword, the dwarf would look at the elven-king and smirk to challenge him. There were no words spoken; but the look in Thorin’s eyes spoke enough of a peaceful and more understanding bond between them now. There is no argument or misunderstanding, just promise of love, or at least that’s what the elf hope.

 Even though since the dwarves and elves fought side by side and their force seemed to dominate the savage orcs and filthy goblins, Thranduil would found his gaze often drifted to Thorin in the crowd. If the dwarf truly didn’t eat or sleep properly for days, Thranduil was deeply concerned so he told himself to keep an eye on him the whole time. And how much he loved watching Thorin in battle with his eyes blazing determination of victory, the way he swung his sword around with great power. The dwarf was fearless, skilled and determined; which were all the traits that made Thranduil fall deeply in him for the first time.

 That is also when Thranduil caught Thorin jumping on a goat and riding off with Dwalin, Fili and Kili. “Where are you going?”, the elf called out, didn’t care to mask his worry. “To kill their leader, Azog of course”, Thorin haunted the goat, turned around to look at Thranduil and tilted his head to the North where the elf could see the Ravenhill hiding in the fog.

 “I’m coming with you”, Thranduil stated sternly mounting his elk closer to the dwarf king. But Thorin gave him a serious look “Both armies need your command. We would lose more if the formation is broken”. Thranduil turned his head to watch how the elves and dwarves were co-fighting effectively and the orcs were slowly pushed back. And he hesitated. Thorin got the right point of course. He could not forsake the whole army just to protect one individual. As a leader, he couldn’t do that.

 Without waiting for the elf’s reply, Thorin tugged on his goat and rode forward following Dwalin towards the hill. Thranduil’s hand gripped tightly on his elk’s rode; he bit his lips considering when his other arm nicely cut through the air and beheaded some more orcs. Would this be another hard decision he had to make as a king again, to choose between his love and his people?

 Legolas approached him shortly. There were traces of blood and dirt on his face but overall he wasn’t hurt. Thranduil felt relieved at the sight of his son with not a single scratch. He could never stop worrying for his son after all these hundred years still.

 “Leave the dwarf for me”, Legolas spoke as soon as he met Thranduil’s eyes and the elven-king was taken aback with his son’s suggestion. “He is right. You should stay and command the army. But I know there’s a reason you worry for him”, Legolas continued ignoring his father’s bewildered expression; which rarely happened for him also.

 “I’ll take care of him. You have my words, Ada”, Legolas raised his bow and his arrow hit the troll coming behind Thranduil in the eye startling the King. The prince fixed his weapons and turned on his heels to leave with a small smile when he still catches Thranduil’s words “You take care of yourself first, ion-nin”.

 o0o

The ride to Ravenhill following the dwarves took Legolas longer than he expected. Orcs and goblins kept attacking him as if they couldn’t wait to see what the afterlife felt like. And bats didn’t like Legolas either. They messed up his perfect hair a bit but they turned out to be a good form of transportation.

So now after shooting the bat that carried him for a long way, Legolas landed on the high tower of Ravenhill and luckily below him on the ice surface is the dwarf his Dad cared a lot about with tens of orcs surrounding him. He took a deep breath and waited watching the scene from above. Legolas enjoyed studying what was so special about this dwarf that gained his father’s affection. And may be, just may be Legolas should take some revenge on Thorin for the dwarf’s stupid misunderstanding towards his father when they last stayed at Mirkwood. Even though he wasn’t in the palace the entire time; the prince was still aware of the royal business, especially when it concerned his father.

 The dwarf seemed to handle the situation pretty well but then more orcs streamed in and soon Thorin would be surrounded. Now Legolas sighed deeply and drew out his bow and aimed his arrow.

 Arrows after arrows he shot knocking down several filthy creatures leaving Thorin enough to handle by himself. The dwarf seemed surprised a bit at first when he saw the arrow flying through the air. But when he looked up and saw Legolas, the dwarf gave him an appreciative nod. And the prince rolled his eyes. Dwarves also knew of courtesy, he spoke mockingly to himself. 

Meanwhile Thranduil wasn’t any less busy at the battle field in front of Erebor. Even though the force was well-balanced between the two sides and they wouldn’t lose, but the elves and dwarves together weren’t strong enough to make the orcs back off and run away. The battle might last for days, Thranduil was afraid. But then the sound of eagles screeching on the sky from afar reached his ears and he smiled relieved for the first time. May be now their forces were strong enough to put this battle to an end. And the orcs freaked out the moment they hear the eagles coming. Their lines immediately fell apart and they started running away, which made the cleaning up work so easily for both the dwarves and elves, even for the men.

After making sure the victory to be in their hands already, Thranduil looked at the Ravenhill with great worry. The fog was so thick surrounding the hills that even his keen eyes couldn’t detect anything. And when Thranduil was there, he exhaled with relief when seeing hundreds orcs corpses on the ground. This signaled something good, he told himself. But Thranduil knew too well the horrifying destruction of war to body and soul that he didn’t dare to set his hope.

 The elven-king walked with caution among the corpses, up the stairs and through the cave but there were just orcs lying around. Then when he walked out on this ice frozen lake, his heart dropped at the sight of this familiar figure. He quickly strode to Thorin’s place soundless but hurry that the dwarf didn’t notice him. The dwarf felt a gentle touch on his forehead and he shifted to see the elven-king kneeling close and gazing down at him. Tears lingered on the beautiful eyes that were usually cold and emotionless. But now Thorin could see them as many scattered broken pieces inside and it pained him to see the elf being like this; as he was also the reason.

 “You’re here. I wanted to apologize. I was stupid and - ”, Thorin spoke weakly. He tried to inhale for some air but his face creased as the pain in his crib hit him. “Shhhh”, Thrandui caressed Thorin’s bloody face and his other hand rested on the dwarf’s chest pressing hard to hold the blood from the wounds and keep Thorin still. He has been longing for the day Thorin smiled with pure affection at him since the Smaug attack but now when the dwarf did, Thranduil couldn’t bear the pain.

 “We talk later”, Thranduil leaned in and brushed his nose slightly against Thorin’s with an assuring smile. “I’m afraid there’s no later for us”, Thorin spoke with difficulty as he could feel his strength leaving him slowly. “Don’t be silly. Of course there will be”, Thranduil struggled to maintain his tone normally as he could feel the dwarf’s body shaking in his grip.

 “Ada. You’re here”, Legolas’s voice called out. Thranduil looked up and tears started streaming down his pale cheeks as he saw Legolas still safe and sound. “I found this for him”, Legolas gave him a handful of herbal leaves, still green and fresh and the elven-king’s heart froze overjoyed.

 “Where…how did you get these? This entire land is covered in snow”, Thranduil was still in shock but he grabbed the herbs and applied them properly on Thorin’s deep wound. “You always taught me to be well-prepared in any matters”, Legolas replies simply and Thranduil couldn’t help a small proud smile at his son.

 “Thorin, drink this”, the elf urged and his words seemed to hold Thorin back from the unconscious state he was slowly drifting into and pulled him to reality again. He tried to move his lips but he couldn’t feel anything or any power in him. The least he could do is trying to keep his eyes open trying to take in the image of Thranduil caring him. He must not fall asleep; otherwise he may never see the elf again, Thorin kept reminding his sleepy brain.

  Thranduil was now pouring the liquid onto his slightly-opened lips but little could it be taken in. The elf looked totally panicked for a moment, but then he brought the small bottle to his lips, drank a bit of it and to Legolas’s utter confusion, Thranduil leaned down to plant his lips on the dwarf’s and so transfer the liquid whole into the dwarf’s body. The dwarf’s mouth moved a bit in corporation with Thranduil’s as if it’s trying to assist. At first, Thorin just lied there immobile but after some turns, the dwarf’s strength seemed to return. The look in his eyes was more lively and soon he locked with Thranduil’s eyes a grateful and loving look as the elf pecked a final kiss on his lips and pulled away. After Thorin regained a bit of strength in his body, his breath was more even and his wound was quickly banded, Legolas and Thranduil helped the dwarf to get up.

 “Fili, Kili?” were Thorin’s first words when he felt a bit better. “They are all fine. They are with Gandalf now”, Legolas replied quickly to assure the dwarf.

 “Are you sure you don’t want me to carry you back?”, Thranduil asked teasingly as he let the dwarf rest his entire weight on him. “I can walk” was Thorin’s weak reply as he tried to stand firmly. But then the height difference made it impossible for the dwarf and the elf to walk simultaneously with his body leaning on Thranduil’s. Thorin almost fell face-down on the ice many times and much as the elf tried, he couldn’t bow low enough to walk in this way with the dwarf.

 “Ada please…just carry him back already”, Legolas rolled his eyes at the awkward sight and the dwarf’s stubbornness. Thranduil gave his son a knowing look and he weep Thorin off his feet in one soft swift movement so now he was carrying Thorin bridal style on the way back to Erebor. “Your wounds”, Thranduil reminded the dwarf sternly and Thorin stopped kicking. Instead he groaned as an acceptance for the elf’s action. 


	6. I can wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of things that should have been done before all of this!!

CHAPTER 6

The Battle of Five Armies has ended for two days already and everywhere from Erebor to Dale, there were sights of cleaning up and reconstruction.  Thorin however knew nothing of that because he was kept inside his chamber in Erebor by the elven-king’s request. It wasn’t bad. His friends came and visited him all the time. Bilbo would come by the most often to describe what happened outside for Thorin. The dwarf realized how much he owed the hobbit when he learnt that Bilbo was the first to find him and announced Legolas shortly. But Thorin wanted to go outside and saw how Erebor was being rebuilt too but he never could.

“It’s my kingdom. I am the king”, Thorin complained to his youngest nephew who just helped him with changing the bandage and put the giant glass of medicine on the stone table. “Actually it’s your company all agreed this is the best for you uncle”, Kili replied with a soft smile and Thorin groaned in defeat.

 “Where is Thranduil?”, he raised his head a bit looking out the door but there was no one out there. “I don’t know. May be in Dale helping the men of Laketown”, Kili just shrugged. The young dwarf didn’t notice how his answer annoyed his uncle as Thorin lied back staring at the ceiling, his fingers now with more strength curled into a fist. “Bard the dragon slayer”, he mumbled angrily to himself.

 The elf returned to his side shortly after Kili left. He dressed in his simple silver robe. There was no circlet or crown on his hair so it streamed as the moonlight river when the elf sat close to him and leaning forward. They cleared their misunderstanding as soon as Thorin recovered from his injury. The dwarf had a lot to say, so many things he felt he needed to apologize for: for doubting Thranduil, for misplacing his care as the lowly creepy stalking act and many more. The elf kept silent and listened to him attentively, his slender fingers wrapping around Thorin’s callous ones and his eyes never left him. Thranduil looked at him with such a great passion and affection that Thorin felt even guiltier when apologizing.

 When he stopped, the elf just whispered “I’m glad you survived” and kissed his hand gently. There was more than just the hand kisses that the dwarf wanted but Thranduil as usual put his injury and recovery above everything.

 “Where were you?”, Thorin asked as soon as the elf sat down on his side. “In Dale”, Thorin’s brows pulled together at the elf’s brief reply. That couldn’t escape the elf’s eyes either. “What’s wrong?”, the elf raised his question coolly. “Nothing” was the dwarf’s grumpy reply and Thranduil gently grabbed and raised Thorin’s chin up so the dwarf met his eyes. “My heart longed for you and you only Thorin Oakenshield after all these years”, the elf spoke in pauses. He always felt a bit strange at the thing he had for this dwarf. It’s passionate. It’s deep. And it seemed to grow more and more when they were apart and the time flew by. He didn’t know how to explain but so great his affection for Thorin sometimes scared him.

 Thorin sensed the elf’s insecurity and even though he didn’t know why, Thorin whispered softly as their faces now are too close to another “So I’m not the only one”. And Thranduil gave him a soft smile before leaning in and brushed his lips softly over Thorin’s. The dwarf’s annoyed feeling disappeared immediately at the gentle touch. And ignoring the pain, Thorin raised his hand and rested at the back of Thranduil’s neck only to press him in for more. His tongue slide over the elf’s lips silently begging but he only felt Thranduil smiling. The elf suck his lower lip sensually before pulling away leaving the dwarf in total loss at the sudden lack of contact.

 “And why didn’t you take the medicine?”, Thranduil points at the cup next to the dwarf’s bed. Thorin sat up alarmed because he momentarily forgot about that when he was too busy speculating what the elven-king may be doing next to Bard. And Thranduil didn’t like it when he skipped the herbal liquid. 

 “I forgot. Besides I’m better now’, he mumbled his answer keeping his eyes on the sheet. “I didn’t need the medicines. I need you”, he thought in frustration.

“You’re not well enough”, Thranduil spoke in his usual kingly voice handing him the glass and the dwarf met the stern look the elven-king had on him. Thorin grabbed the glass and finished it in one breath ignoring the bitter taste burning his throat. He handed the glass back to Thranduil along with a sharp side-eyed ‘are-you-happy-now’ look. But the elf grinned in satisfaction and his eyes looked at Thorin so warmly that the dwarf let go of his annoyance again.

 “I have something for you”, Thorin said when Thranduil had returned the glass to the table and walked back to his side. The elf raised his brows at him looking confused. But he moved to the other side, sat cross-legged on the bed they share together and asked “What is it?”

 Thorin chuckled at the elf’s blank expression. He remembered those days living with among the dwarves and men. It didn’t matter who said it but the receiver would be happy when someone announced him he had a gift. Everyone would be excited, except for this elf who had lived thousand years old and probably forgot what excitement felt like.

 “What?”, Thranduil asked again. His face was still as calm and emotionless, quiet like a peaceful lake glowing in moon light. “You’re not a bit excited?”, the dwarf asked peeking up at the tall elven-king sitting next to him.

 “What is it? Give it to me now. Quick!”, Thranduil urged slapping Thorin’s shoulder teasingly and the dwarf smiled at the elven-king’s effort for his acting. The dwarf reached below his pillow to pull out a small metal box carved with beautiful colorful gems. He had asked his nephews search for this and Fili brought it to him earlier this noon. The dwarf literally couldn’t sit still on his bed for hours waiting for the elf to return so he could show him this.

 He put the small box on Thranduil’s lap as the elf half-looked at it, half-watched Thorin’s expression. The dwarf rolled his eyes inwardly when Thranduil made no move of excitement as he acted earlier. So he reached out again and turned the lock to open the box revealing a breathtakingly beautiful necklace adorned with tiny white gems. The necklace’s light is so well that it brightened its surrounding area. Now looking at it again, Thorin suddenly noticed its charm. The necklace looked marvelous and Thorin thought its light may be come second only after the Arkenstone. But then the dwarf looked up at Thranduil and he knew he was definitely wrong. The white gems of Laslagen’s light reflected back on Thranduil’s marble flawless skin. He was staring eye-widen at the necklace lying inside the box, his lips slightly parted as if he was at loss for words. The amazed expression Thranduil had fit his usual icy cold feature extremely well and soon Thorin find himself staring at the elven-king looking more beautiful than he ever saw.

 After a long pause of silence and appreciation, Thranduil finally blinked and let out a breath “Thank you”. Thorin was awaken from the spell the elf’s newly-found charm put him under as he heard the the other’s words. Keeping the necklace was wrong on so many levels of his people as the elves paid them after all. And Thorin remembered how he treated the necklace earlier when he first found them in Erebor when returning. So he spoke quickly and uncontrollably just hope to make the Elven-king understand. “It’s nothing. It is yours all this time. My grandpa shouldn’t have kept it. I shouldn’t have kept it. I don’t know why I keep it that long from you I swear. I should have given - …”, Thorin blurted out uncontrollably as guilt washed over him. But Thranduil silenced him with a soft peck on his lips and Thorin understood what he meant by that ‘all is forgiven’.

 “Let’s try it on”, Thorin spoke as their forehead was resting against each other and Thranduil nodded with a happy smile. The dwarf made an attempt to sit up but Thranduil put a hand on his chest and shakes his head slightly. “May be later when you recovered your strengths fully”, Thranduil looked at the dwarf disapprovingly. 

“I am better”, Thorin groaned a bit annoyed at the elf’s constant extra caution. And he pushed Thranduil’s hand away so he could finally sit up at the almost same height level with the elf. Luckily Thranduil was sitting so Thorin could still put the necklace around his neck. The elf glared at him with disagreement and Thorin couldn’t help but arch his brows challenging. He needed to do something to convince the elf that he has recovered well so may be Thranduil could stop worrying and they could start working on their business in bed already.

 The dwarf pushed Thranduil to turn around so he could see better. The sight of this shiny necklace on the slender neck of the elven-king took his breath away. The color compliments the king’s marble flawless skin even more and Thorin adored how the charming front with the precious white gems just rested proudly in the center on the robe fabric. But something wasn’t quite right, Thorin thought to himself. Something was missing but he couldn’t tell what it was yet.

 “Perfection”, Thorin was truly impressed at how well his work matched the owner and the elf’s ear point turned red slowly as Thranduil caught the dwarf’s longing and appreciative stare. “Thank you, Thorin”, the elf spoke softly. He turned to look at the mirror on the right side of the bed; his fingers slowly touched each gems on the necklace. Their color was so bright and pure and it twinkled under the candle light as if he was wearing a necklace made of his most favorite stars. And this was the heirloom of his people; he now could finally won it back.

 Thranduil’s eyes looked up in the mirror to catch a pair of green eyes gazing at him attentively. Happiness radiated from those eyes and that smiling lips as well. Thorin planted a soft kiss on the elf’s shoulder and traveled up to his neck nibbling the areas that wasn’t covered with the necklace.

 Thorin’s hand started trailing down the elf’s chest as he spread the robe apart. Thranduil watched from the mirror with great interest as the dwarf revealed his hairless broad chest  when his robe was torn down to half his arm-length. The elf’s rosy lips curved into this arrogant smirk when he saw how Thorin leaned over to cover his neck, shoulder and back with butterfly kisses, how the dwarf’s big hand caressed his strong abs and torso. He had been missing this for a long time since they last separated. All the times Thranduil fantasized about such situations during the time he watched Thorin under the stag’s eyes in his journey came back to his mind. But he hasn’t wanted anything as bad as the time Thorin was under his control, so close in his reach in Mirkwood halls. He probably could take the dwarf to his bed right at that moment if his son hadn’t interrupted with Thorin’s company.

 But things were in the past and the reality now was that Thranduil’s lustful sense was awaken again with the dwarf’s kisses and not-so-innocent touches like this. Thorin opened his eyes and suddenly locked with the elven-king in the mirror and Thranduil held his gaze with his sexy smirk. Thorin growled and turned the elf around so now they were face to face.

 “Your wounds”, Thranduil reminded casually as he noticed how the dwarf started getting lost in their acts that he probably didn’t care about anything else. Thorin peeked up at the elf worriedly for he feared the elf may tell him to wait later. But Thranduil just looked amused as the dwarf finally removed his robe completely leaving him shirtless and the only thing left on his upper body was the necklace.

 Feeling annoyed by the elf’s amusement, Thorin suddenly rose up, pushed the elf back strongly and climbed on top of him. Thranduil looked horrifyingly surprised at the dwarf’s sudden movement but Thorin smiled dangerously to assure him. Thorin signaled for the elf to look to the side mirror and Thranduil did. In the mirror from this side, he could see Thorin sitting on top of him; his shirt was left opened revealed his dark chest hair. And his strong thighs still had bandage wrapped around but it was in good position despite the dangerous act that Thorin just pulled. And so was the one in Thorin’s rib.

 The elf yelped as he saw Thorin leaning down and sucking on one of his nipple hard. Instinctively he put his hand on Thorin’s head and planned to pull him away. But Thorin’s tongue was doing its job so well that Thranduil drifted his hand to the sheets and grabbed it tightly as the dwarf had his assault on both of the elf’s nipple with his mouth and finger. The sensation sent Thranduil over the edge as he rolled his eyes inwardly, his lips slightly parted. He would ask for more if his lips could form words but instead all escaped were just his desperate moaning.

 “Shusshh”, Thorin stretched his body further so now he could reach the elf’s parting lips and enjoy the taste that he was denied minutes earlier. Thorin felt as if he could lose control of himself the moment his tongue was in the warmth of the elf’s rosy lips. Their tongues danced sensually while his knuckles randomly caressed the elf’s cheeks, his neck or went further and paid a twist or pinch to his nipple so Thorin could earn a wanton moan from the elf.

 They were so lost in their kisses that soon Thorin was shirtless and Thranduil was grinding his hips desperately to the dwarf’s body on top of him. Thorin felt himself growing hard as well and he smirked pleasingly to realize that the elf was just the same.

 “Turn around”, Thorin spoke hoarsely as he got off the elf. His tone was pulsing with need and as if Thranduil could feel it too, he removed his pants and did as Thorin say lying with his face in the sheets. Thorin kneeled behind him looking appreciatively at the elf’s naked round butt cheeks. Memories from the long-gone past came back to his mind; just like the many times before he bedded the elvenking this way when the alliance between two kingdoms still existed. He was mesmerized before; and he was now too at the sight of Thranduil’s slender body writhing impatiently in front of him, his silver hair spread on his bed messily, and his lovely ass was grinding against Thorin’s hard member all this time.

 “What are you waiting for?”, Thranduil turned his head around and looked at Thorin. There was a combination of longing and impatient, lustful look in his usual icy cold eyes. The dwarf arched his brow teasingly as he showed the elf a small bottle of oil he just took from the drawer and the two shared this dirty satisfying smile for each other. Thorin leaned forward to give the elven-king’s cock a little tug making the elf squirm even more on the sheets. He would always remember these moments when he could make the famous elven-king break his mask and show Thorin all the lustful wanton expression he could have in replace for the elf’s usual cold features. It didn’t take much time to prepare and there was no words to describe how great it felt to Thorin to be inside Thrandui’s warmth again. Thorin ran his rough fingers down the elf’s spine and caress the flawless marble skin a few times before he grabbed the elf’s sides tightly and gave it a mighty roll of his hip. The elf’s sound was just like how Thorin liked it and Thranduil’s back arched desperately wanting for more. And the dwarf obliged.

 Thorin controlled his pace well and randomly he gave a powerful thrust to see Thranduil squirming and watch his knuckles go white as he held tightly to the sheets. He hid his face in the mattress suppressing his moans. But the elf still couldn’t help it when Thorin slammed against his ass with all his strength and sent Thranduil to his climax. They both came together and while Thorin’s voice went low and thick, the elf’s orgasm moan rang like music to Thorin’s ears. Oh how he missed that sound.

 Then the two collapsed in bed and they lied face to face with each other. Thranduil’s skin is now glowing with all the sweats yet Thorin couldn’t take his eyes off him. He slowly caress the elf’s pink cheeks from all the heat and Thranduil grinned at him satisfied. “I’ve been waiting for this for days”, Thorin confessed with a shy smile. “Days?”, Thranduil asked amusedly. “I’ve been wanting you for years”, the elf moved closer so he can snuggle in Thorin’s chest and sniffing the dwarf’s alien scent to his people.

 “Forgive me. Selfish hatred blinded me from all the desire I had for you. I was mad at you for what you did to us when Smaug attacked. I didn’t understand. You were a king and you did – “, the dwarf spoke continuously but he stopped when Thranduil pressed his forefinger on the dwarf’s lips.

 “What’s gone is in the past. What matters now is the present. And I’m glad I have you now by my side”, Thranduil locked his eyes on Thorin and the dwarf slowly nodded after he had convinced himself to let go of his mistake. Besides the elf is right. They have their present and future together now and Thorin promised himself to use every seconds of it to make up for his idiotic thinking in the past, to make up for the elf and all the affection he had for him.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there was my first attempt at the bed scenes. I hope it wasn't too terrible since I couldn't review it by myself more than twice =))
> 
> I still think this whole continuation was pretty long. But I couldn't stray off the BOFA movie flow so I apologized if you find some scenes familiar and may be boring :3 In the end, my fix-it-bofa-mood is completed with this one, so yay!!
> 
> And most importantly, thank you very much for all your kudos, comments and bookmarks. At first when I started with this idea, it was simply a one-shot. Never have I expected it to be this huge (but srsly, this is like my biggest work so far). And it all thanks to your support. I am so over the moon it has come this far. *sending hugs and kisses to you all* <3 <3


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